Inorganic and Physical Chemistry
Inorganic and Physical Chemistry is the first unit within the Advanced Higher Chemistry course. It consists of six subtopics (seven on Scholar); Electromagnetic radiation and atomic spectra, Atomic orbitals, electronic configurations and the Periodic Table, Transition metals, Chemical equilibrium, Reaction feasibility and Kinetics. Sub-topics Electromagnetic Radiation and Atomic Spectra * Electromagnetic waves * The relationship c=fλ * Dual nature of electromagnetic radiation — waves and particles * The relationships E=hf and E=Lhf * Atomic emission * Evaluation of evidence for energy levels in atoms of elements * Atomic emission spectroscopy and Atomic absorption spectroscopy and how they are used to identify and quantify the elements present in a sample Atomic orbitals, electronic configurations and the Periodic Table * The four quantum numbers used to describe any electron within an atom. * The shapes of s, p and d orbitals * Electron configuration including: *# aufbau principle *# Hund’s rule *# Pauli exclusion principle * The Periodic Table including electron configurations and Ionisation energies. * The relative values of first, second and subsequent ionisation energies in terms of the stabilities of different subshell electron configurations. * Apply VSEPR rules to determine shapes of molecules and polyatomic ions Transition metals * Electronic configuration of transition metal atoms and ions and the anomalies of the model explained. * Oxidation states of transition metals. * Oxidation numbers of transition metal ions. * Using changes in oxidation number of transition metal ions to determine whether oxidation or reduction has occurred. * Classification of Ligands, co-ordination number. * Dative covalent bonding of ligands in transition metal complexes. * Naming complex ions according to IUPAC rules. * Explanation of colour in transition metal complexes. * UV and visible absorption of transition metal complexes. * Catalysis by transition metals. * Transition metals and their compounds as catalysts Chemical equilibrium * Equilibrium expressions, factors affecting equilibria and calculation of the composition of the equilibrium mixtures K = products/reactants * Ionic product of water and calculations of pH. * pH = -log10H+ * Kw = H+OH- * Bronsted-Lowry acids/bases definitions. * pH of salt solutions. * Equilibria of the salt solutions. * Strong and weak acids and bases. * Properties of strong and weak acids and bases. * The acid dissociation constant, Ka, Ka = H+A- / HA * pKa = -log10Ka * Calculation of pH for a weak acids pH = ½ pKa - ½ log10c H+ = √(Ka''c'') * Buffer solutions. * Composition of a buffer, how buffers work and calculation of the pH of buffers. * pH = pKa – log10 acid/salt * Indicators. * Weak acid indicators. Kin , KIn = H3O+ In– / HIn * Selection of an appropriate indicator for a particular reaction based on titration curves. * Colour change of weak acid indicators. Reaction feasibility * Standard enthalpy of formation, definitions and relevant calculations. * ΔHo = ΣΔHof (products) - ΣΔHof (reactants). * Entropy and prediction of change in entropy. * Second and Third Laws of Thermodynamics. * Calculations in changes in standard entropy. * ΔSo = ΣΔSo (products) - ΣΔSo (reactants). * The concept of free energy ΔG = ΔH – TΔS * Calculation of Standard free energy change for a reaction. * ΔGº = Σ ΔGº (products) - Σ ΔGº (reactants). * Applications of the concept of free energy. * Prediction of the feasibility of a chemical reaction under standard and nonstandard conditions ΔGo = ΔHo - TΔS Kinetics * Determination of the order of a reaction (0,1, 2, 3) from experimental data and rate equations. Calculation of rate constants and units of k.rate = kA * Reaction mechanisms. * The rate determining step in a reaction. * From the rate equation predict the rate determining step and possible mechanism. Category:Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Category:AH Chemistry